180 WASPS AND THEIR WAYS 



Its silken covering was not so thick as 

 that of the wasps reared on the natural 

 food of wasps, but it was very perfect as 

 far as it went, and so thin that the larva 

 could easily be seen through it. 



The larva remained its own white, grub- 

 like self for several days, and then — one 

 day the nest was examined, and there 

 shone through the thin cocoon the face of 

 a wasp ! 



The hand-fed larva had actually trans- 

 formed. Weeks passed and it did not 

 come forth. Finally the cell was opened, 

 and it was found — dead, with its wings 

 not formed. It had done its best, but too 

 much turning up the wrong way, — for 

 the nest had to be inverted to feed the 

 larvae, — or more probably an innutritious 

 diet, had defeated its efforts, so that it had 

 not quite enough vitality to make a com- 

 plete transformation. 



The third larva spun so delicate a cocoon 

 that one day when the comb was suddenly 



